Taking too long!

Hondaguy7643 said:

Most say 5 minutes, I wait a max of 7-8 and then cancel and collect the cancellation fee.

The 7-8 minute rule EVEN applies if the pax texts or calls me to tell me they are on the way. Like others have said, this is not a waiting service and any pax that has taken Uber more than, say 3 times, should know that an Uber car will show up generally within 5-7 minutes...so unless there is heavy precipitation falling from the sky or it's like a freezer/oven outside...the pax should be waiting right on the curb or in the parking lot for you in plain view.

It should be noted that during guarantee periods, or periods of high surge, I'll apply a strict 5 minute rule because I can't have pax messing up my chance to earn some extra pennies!

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Don't listen to a word this guy says! Unless he knows that the ride is a great fare and the pax is going daytime and has contacted you already, no need to wait anything extra than 5:10. The Pax also should lose a star for making you wait so long. My threshold is 3 minutes and then they lose a star (unless they tip then they get that star back).

He is way off on guarantee periods. I love to wait for a PAX. I worked during a guarantee period when we had them in OC/LA and pull up to a house where the guys were drinking in the garage. I told them, "take your time and finish your beer!" I let them know that normally a driver won't want to wait that long but we were on guarantee pay period and all I needed was one ride an hour average. That extra 8 minutes sitting there meant I was less likely to get another ping for the hour. Bail out on surge time? Only if surge is now higher and you are in a hot spot. If I am in a surge and already contacted the PAX and received verbally where he/she/them are going and it is going to be a money maker, I will wait a few more minutes. Cancelling them doesn't guarantee you will get a better surge and possibly no surge at all. I stick to my guns on deducting stars for making me wait but I won't give up easy money if the PAX wants to be a little rude.

OCBob said:

He is way off on guarantee periods.

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Ok ok ok, you got me on that one. I actually thought about this post later and was like "you really should wait a little longer on guarantee's".

OCBob said:

Cancelling them doesn't guarantee you will get a better surge and possibly no surge at all.

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True as well.

OCBob said:

I told them, "take your time and finish your beer!"

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&

OCBob said:

My threshold is 3 minutes and then they lose a star (unless they tip then they get that star back).

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Herein I see a problem. If you're educating pax on the difference between why you'll wait extra time sometimes, and why their rating is hurt when you have to wait more than 3 minutes other times that's fine, but I doubt this is the case. Basically the guy you told to finish his beer may now have the impression that it's OK to make Uber drivers wait because "the last guy didn't mind".

Subtracting a start for 3 minutes is way to harsh. Unless all pax are perfect, which everyone know's they aren't because no one is perfect, then I don't mind a short wait when I arrive. 3-5 minutes is acceptable, especially if there is any sort of precipitation falling, or it's freezing cold, blistering hot (like it is where I live), they forgot something (this happens to ALL of us), or the person getting in my car has some sort of disability where they couldn't stand at the curb and wait for me are all good reasons. I go beyond 5 minutes because no one ever knows what the situation on the other side of the phone is. Hurting the rating of a pax because they aren't jumping into your car, through a rolled down window, while you're still moving, is just a naive notion and will ultimately hurt the rider base for Uber. Lowering pax ratings is not very constructive because many drivers (myself included) cancel on low ratings. I don't pick up pax rated under 4.4. If drivers keep rating pax like this, then I won't know who's genuinely good or bad to pick up and could be cancelling more than accepting...how does that help? It doesn't. In the long run I believe drivers who use similar, or more harsh practices similar to the 3 minute rating criteria stated above, are just hurting themselves and all other Uber drivers. Eventually drivers will all have to lower their standard rating requirement for pax just to accept a decent number of rides.

I'm aware the biggest argument here, aside from pax courtesy towards drivers, is income/profit. Waiting to long can eat into a profit (unless on a guarantee or surge like stated above) but from my experience waiting a few extra minutes really has no effect on my bottom line. Not to mention driver over saturation in many cities has made wait times in between pings longer in general...so getting a ride outside of a guarantee or surge could be worth a slightly longer wait.

Everyone has their own business practice. Some better than others, but if it works for you then do it. Just make sure you realize when to draw the line on how you rate pax because it can have a ripple affect that may not be so positive for everyone else.

Hondaguy7643 said:

Ok ok ok, you got me on that one. I actually thought about this post later and was like "you really should wait a little longer on guarantee's".

True as well.

&

Herein I see a problem. If you're educating pax on the difference between why you'll wait extra time sometimes, and why their rating is hurt when you have to wait more than 3 minutes other times that's fine, but I doubt this is the case. Basically the guy you told to finish his beer may now have the impression that it's OK to make Uber drivers wait because "the last guy didn't mind".

Subtracting a start for 3 minutes is way to harsh. Unless all pax are perfect, which everyone know's they aren't because no one is perfect, then I don't mind a short wait when I arrive. 3-5 minutes is acceptable, especially if there is any sort of precipitation falling, or it's freezing cold, blistering hot (like it is where I live), they forgot something (this happens to ALL of us), or the person getting in my car has some sort of disability where they couldn't stand at the curb and wait for me are all good reasons. I go beyond 5 minutes because no one ever knows what the situation on the other side of the phone is. Hurting the rating of a pax because they aren't jumping into your car, through a rolled down window, while you're still moving, is just a naive notion and will ultimately hurt the rider base for Uber. Lowering pax ratings is not very constructive because many drivers (myself included) cancel on low ratings. I don't pick up pax rated under 4.4. If drivers keep rating pax like this, then I won't know who's genuinely good or bad to pick up and could be cancelling more than accepting...how does that help? It doesn't. In the long run I believe drivers who use similar, or more harsh practices similar to the 3 minute rating criteria stated above, are just hurting themselves and all other Uber drivers. Eventually drivers will all have to lower their standard rating requirement for pax just to accept a decent number of rides.

I'm aware the biggest argument here, aside from pax courtesy towards drivers, is income/profit. Waiting to long can eat into a profit (unless on a guarantee or surge like stated above) but from my experience waiting a few extra minutes really has no effect on my bottom line. Not to mention driver over saturation in many cities has made wait times in between pings longer in general...so getting a ride outside of a guarantee or surge could be worth a slightly longer wait.

Everyone has their own business practice. Some better than others, but if it works for you then do it. Just make sure you realize when to draw the line on how you rate pax because it can have a ripple affect that may not be so positive for everyone else.

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Let me explain why you are wrong IMO. Riders know when we get to their destination. Sure it can be off 30 seconds but 98% of the drivers don't care if they take 30 seconds to get to the curb. I am giving them 3 whole minutes! That is also with the 5-6 minutes it took me to get there! They know our arrival so for them to take 5 minutes to get out the door is rude! Of course there are exceptions and I haven't dinged everyone for it. I had a guy with MS meet at the driveway. I opened his door for him to get in my small Sentra for a young man that was probably 6'3" and had a disability. If he can be at the driveway then anyone else can or at least be at my car in 3 minutes. There really isn't an excuse. If you are running late, how many actually call and say, "I am having trouble with my kid with the babysitter. I will be down in 3 minutes (after 2 minutes have passed). They contacted me and I then know they aren't as rude as many of them are doing to us. The only way they learn is to deduct the star. We don't start the trip early and unlike Lyft, the waiting time of the meter starting, doesn't start at 3 minutes. Most do not have an excuse but sure sounds like you already built one in for them. Sorry but if they are not ready to get out the door, don't order an Uber. They order it early because it is all about their time and no consideration for our time. Has any called and said, "Sorry for my tardiness. You can start the meter." Rare ocurrance and I have maybe had 1 or 2 in over 1400 rides/request. Your example of jumping into my rolled down and rolling car is moronic. They have 5 full minutes to get to the vehicle. If they are running while I am driving away, who's fault is it? I will tell you that they might remember that the wait time of "5 or $5 " next time they order an Uber ride! You also state that the weather is also a factor but why? If it is hot, they are inside their air conditioned home and can still see when we arrive as the same for rain. While the expected time to get to our car takes longer in the rain, we can still see them walking to our car at a slower pace (same with snow for those that have that issue). It isn't very hard for a PAX to earn a 5 star with me. Be in my car by 3 minutes of arrival, either put in the destination or give me exact way of going and not last minute directions, don't be rude to me, don't leave trash, don't slam my door and either have the ride over $6 or leave me a tip if under $6. Not too hard to do. Ask those drivers around here if there time is not valuable enough after waiting 3 minutes for a rider to get their ass to their car. You can still make up excuses for their rudeness but I will rate accordingly as I, and many others, see fit. BTW, do you know how those self entitled people get a 5 star when they made me wait 4 minutes? Tip always gains a star or two back to 5 stars. Bribery works on drivers like it does for Congressman.

As for that guy taking his time drinking his beer, I completely understand what you state on that will continue. I let all of those riders know that it is not normal and drivers will deduct stars or leave. I was truthful that with the guarantees, we can relax some of those rules since they do benefit us. I try to make sure I have drivers backs as we all put up with the same BS from these entitled riders.